Spartacus Blood & Death: 13 Epic Character Sendoffs

Melitta's honeyed wine.
Melitta may have died a cheater, but she certainly didn’t start out that way. We’re first introduced to her as Oenomaus’ trusted wife, but thanks to the foolish whims of Varis, she’s forced to sleep with Gannicus, who quickly ensnares her in his ruggedly handsome web. More often than not, she tries to get over her feelings, but ultimately, she can’t overcome her lust or more importantly, the batch of poisoned wine Lucretia cooks up for Titus that accidentally winds up in Melitta's cup. At the time, Gannicus and Lucretia do their best to cover up the exact circumstances surrounding her undoing, but eventually, the truth spills out, binding the cheating gladiator to the Doctore he betrayed and uniting them for a single cause. Melitta’s death might not be Gannicus’ finest moment, but it makes a man out of him and gives viewers arguably the series’ single most likable character.

Oenomaus forgives Gannicus.
Oenomaus, known to many of Batiatus' gladiators as Doctore, was a truly beloved character who went out in a blaze of glory, fighting by the side of his old friend Gannicus until he was taken down by The Egyptian, a scary gladiator who also met his demise in the fight, courtesy of Gannicus. The fight itself made Oenomaus' death particularly memorable, but it was the resolution of the tension between Oenomaus and Gannicus that made the scene particularly heartbreaking. The two had a falling out when Oenomaus learned that Gannicus had a brief affair with his wife just before Melitta died. It seemed like their friendship would never be the same, but Oenomaus expressed genuine forgiveness with his dying words, telling Gannicus, "I go to my wife's arms. We shall greet you in the afterlife, Brother." Not only did it emphasize forgiveness, but also the love that the friends shared for one another. As hard as it was to see Oenomaus go, it was a relief to see that he could look at Gannicus as a brother again and maybe even lift some of the burden from his old friend's conscience.